Loves

Loves (pronounced Low-ves) is a rare species of flower that sprouts within the Northern Expanse, a glacier like, mountainous island north of the Tempest. Where most of the landscape is the white of snow, gray of stone, and brown of tree bark, the petals of this plant provide a veritable rainbow of colors when it blooms once a year. It will sprout out of the rocky base of the Marrakord mountains, reaching a height of about three feet before the flower will blossom from a thick, green bulb. The flower is often plucked by the Goliath tribes of the Northern Expanse for its beauty, presented by a man to a woman that he fancies as a form of betrothal. It is also crushed into powder to form a pigment that can be used to imbue the Goliaths' tattoos with magical powers, allowing for the sorcerers of the tribes to increase their strength before battle.
If left unpicked, the flower will wilt into a small raspberry-like fruit, and it is this that is most prized by goliaths and adventurers alike. The fruit is incredibly filling, providing all the nourishment the eater needs for the day. It is said to taste differently to anybody who eats it, its flavor changing to whatever food they desire most at the time.
Some are driven mad in their hunt for this fruit, as it can be very addicting and only grows during Winter's Crest. The unbelievable taste can be consuming even with a single serving, leading some to dedicating their lives to procuring as much Loves as they possibly can.

Basic Information

Growth Rate & Stages

Loves grows quickly -- within the span of a week from sapling to wilting. It starts as a seed within crevices between stone, quickly sprouting into the plant that will eventually house the flower. After two days, its multicolored bulb of reds and blues and purples sprouts from the end, and one day later the flower opens, revealing the beautiful interior of the petals with a pistil with a dual stigma in the center. Tentacle-like stamens slowly curl in and out, almost dancing within the petals. After another day, the flower shrivels up into another bulb -- this one a dark green -- and turns pink over the course of 12 hours. Once the 12 hours are up, it becomes the delectable Loves fruit.